ES2416582A2 - System and method for muscle contraction measurement for remote interaction with computing application and use of a manometer in said system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

The system comprises: a manometer for muscles contraction measuring a control unit arranged to receive pressure signals from said manometer, generating from said pressure signals a biofeedback signal including pressure values, this control unit communicating said biofeedback signal to a device with computing capacity and a front office application running in said device with computing capacity for remote controlling said device with computing capacity. The method is adapted for implementing the system. Use of a manometer as input of the device with computing capacity is proposed.

Description

System and method of measuring muscle contraction for remote interaction with a computer application and use of a pressure gauge in said system and method

Technical field

The present invention relates to physiological informatics and, in general, refers to a system and method for interacting remotely with a computer system using physiological signals representative of muscle contractions, by treating suitable pressure values acquired from a pressure gauge by means of computer applications.

The invention also proposes the use of a manometer, in particular a perineometer for measuring muscle contraction as an input to remotely control a device with computing capacity.

Background of the invention

Many types of input devices are currently available for operations in a computer system, such as buttons or keys, mice, trackballs, joysticks, touch sensor panels, touch screens and the like. Touch screens, in particular, are becoming increasingly popular due to their easy and versatile operation as well as their increasingly low price.

Touch sensors panels of mutual capacitance can be formed from a matrix of conductive lines and detection of a substantially transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide (ITO), often arranged in horizontal and vertical rows and columns. Not only touch detection, but also approach detection is considered an input interface.

An example of approach detection is US2011 / 0007021 "Touch and hover sensing". Although some touch sensors can also detect an approach event, that is, a nearby object but that does not touch the touch sensor, typical approach detection information may have limited practical use utility due to, for example, a range of limited approach detection, an inefficient collection of approach information, etc.

The remote control of computer systems is used to operate them wirelessly, mainly from a distance in the short line of sight. The system and remote directional touch method of US2010 / 0277337 is a remote touch interface. This touch device remote control is not application specific, and can work without seeing a remote display, with fast and efficient operation.

Finally, people with physical disabilities that prevent or hinder the use of their hands would benefit from a different management device than the one proposed.

The hands-free remote control of computer systems using the voice of document US6397186 is an appropriate method only for some types of applications with simple command input (television channel selection, home automation, ...).

When searching for hands-free remote controllers of computer systems, the use of physiological signals modified voluntarily by users has been theoretically exposed. Therefore, the field of physiological informatics has investigated the use of different physiological signals as possible inputs, for example in a personal computer, whose most prominent signals are electrooculographic, electroencephalographic and electromyographic.

one.

The electrooculogram (EOG) measures the potential differential between the cornea and the eye's retina, a circumstance that allows the possibility of recording the speed and direction of eye movement by means of electrodes placed on the skin in the vicinity of the eye. The electrode closest to the cornea will register a positive potential. When moving the eyes, the positions of the cornea and the retina change with respect to the electrode, which results in a change in the potential. The EOG signal can be used by people who have a high degree of disability, however, EOG-based systems are relatively expensive, require a great deal of attention and effort to control the appropriate cursors, and both the calibration and learning of their Use are complex.

2.

The electroencephalogram (EEG) measures the bioelectric activity of the brain, and its use as an interface depends on the ability of each user to learn to control it.

3.

Electromyography (EMG) is based on the measurement of bioelectric activity associated with voluntary muscle contraction. One of the advantages of this signal is its relative immunity to interference from other physiological signals, compared to EOG and EEG signals. The EMG signal can be used in different ways to manage a system, for example, in a manner similar to a switch (system

on / off) but activating / deactivating a certain action with a voluntary muscular contraction. It is feasible to define a pulse code to be able to perform different actions with the same muscle. This last strategy has been used, for example, in bioelectric prosthesis control and is based on a 3-bit code (high amplitude signal, low amplitude signal, no contraction) without it being possible for a given code to start with “no contraction ”, which gives a maximum of 18 possible commands. This system does not define a language based on the structure of the registered signal.

For some types of muscles, manometry is a different method of measuring the level of some types of muscle contraction. So far, these types of sensors have not been used as inputs for computing devices, nor have any type of command been decided using manometers activated with muscles.

A Kegel perineometer or perineometer (vaginal / anal manometer) is an instrument to measure the intensity of voluntary contractions of the pelvic floor muscles (Perineometer with wireless bio-feedback, document US2006 / 0036188).

The determination of the air pressure inside the vagina by inserting a perineometer, while asking the user to squeeze everything he can, can measure a level of contraction, and identify a level with relaxation.

At the moment, the perineometer is only used as a method of prevention for urinary incontinence (Perineometer for domestic use in the prevention of urinary incontinence, ES2182049).

There are some problems with existing solutions

1-As the hands-free remote controllers of computer systems, all physiological computer interfaces found are more expensive than the object of this invention.

2-Like the hands-free remote controllers of computer systems, all physiological computer interfaces found (EOG, EEG, EMG) include electrical components, which imply possible problems in electrical contact and worse usability.

3-None of the input devices found are at the same time a method for the prevention of urinary incontinence.

Description of the invention

It is necessary to offer an alternative to the state of the art that covers the gaps found therein, particularly in relation to the lack of proposals that really present an effective system and method to interact remotely with physiological signals representative of muscle contractions and perform operations With computer applications.

For this, the present invention provides a system comprising:

a pressure gauge to measure muscle contraction that provides pressure signals;

a control unit arranged to receive said pressure signals from said pressure gauge and to generate from said pressure signals a bio-feedback signal that includes pressure values and to communicate said bio-feedback signal to a device with computing capacity; Y

a frontoffice application that runs on said device with computing capability,

wherein said frontoffice application uses said pressure values to remotely control said device with computing capacity.

Other embodiments of the system of the first aspect of the invention are described according to the attached claims 2 to 12 and in a subsequent section relating to the detailed description of various embodiments.

A second aspect of the present invention relates to a method comprising:

detect a plurality of pressure values by means of a manometer, caused these pressure values by muscular contractions;

generate a bio-feedback signal that includes said pressure values; Y

remotely control a device with computing capacity communicating said bio-feedback signal to it.

Other embodiments of the method of the invention are described according to the attached claims 14 to 21 and in a later section relating to the detailed description of various embodiments.

A third aspect of the present invention relates to a use of a manometer as an input device to remotely control a device with computing capability.

Another embodiment of the use of the invention is described according to the attached claim 23 and in a later section relating to the detailed description of various embodiments.

Brief description of the drawings

The foregoing and other advantages and features will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which should be considered in an illustrative and non-limiting manner, in which:

Figure 1 schematically shows the system of the first aspect of the present invention, according to one embodiment.

Figure 2 shows an example of values of a generated pressure signal, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 shows the flow chart of the method of the second aspect of the present invention, according to one embodiment.

Figure 4 shows an example of a pelvic floor rehabilitation process, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 and Figure 6 show some examples of implementation by games, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description of various embodiments

This invention proposes a system that provides a user interface device that uses specific muscles with the ability to vary pressure levels in a pressure gauge. The invention concerns an independent manometer probe for use by muscular contraction that communicates a wireless bio-feedback signal to a small portable receiver and display unit. The display unit provides an optional audible signal and a display that allows the user to monitor the efforts and translate the received data as actions in a computer application, displayed graphically on a display.

The system comprises an interface that includes an independent manometer probe in contact with the user's body and that is integrated in a control unit that communicates a wireless bio-feedback signal (for example via Bluetooth, RF, WIFI, ...) to an application that runs in a terminal with computing capacity (tablet, mobile phone, PC, ...).

The system allows the user to properly interrelate remotely with the application set. The possibilities of this new invention include gaming purposes, training purposes and remote interaction with various types of applications.

The system of the invention consists, figure 1, in a pressure probe (1), known as a manometer, with a balanced pneumatic chamber operating at atmospheric pressure that is connected through a rubber tube (12) with a unit ( 2) control that contains an electronic air pressure sensor (3), a microcontroller that runs a state machine (6), an analog to digital converter (5) and a wireless transceiver (4).

The different pressure values are detected with a pressure sensor (3) in pressure units (1hPa = 1.0197cm H2o = 0.75mmHg), and are sampled with an analog to digital converter (5), with a predefined number of samples in a second, and a range of values to measure the pressure changes sufficient to detect very small variations in the pressure in the probe chamber, once placed between the muscles that will be responsible for the contraction.

These values are transmitted using a wireless connection to a frontoffice application (7) that runs on a type of computer-capable device.

The application controller (9) can receive the pressure values from the control unit (2), and treats them as if the generated signal was an ideal square signal. As shown in Figure 2, three kinds of parameters will be extracted from the received values:

•

Sequence of amplitudes (the amplitude being proportional to the level of resistance in contractions)

•

 Sequence of contraction times

•

Sequence of relaxation times

These three changing values will be the parameters used to control the application. The user interface controller (10) will be responsible for translating these data sets into actions shown in the display (11) of the Frontoffice (7).

A parameterization is necessary to adapt the method to the intensity level capacity of each end user, and interpreting data received based on the context on the currently displayed screen can be done dynamically with the help of a backoffice.

Some examples of flexible interpretation of received data (context-based) may include:

1) LONG CONTRACTION: movement of a figure in the display (horizontally or vertically depending on the context).

2) LINEAR TRANSFER: movement of a figure in the display following the same square wave of pressure values.

3) MENU MANAGEMENT: short contraction with different length of time (1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, 4 seconds) to select different options (no more than 4 on each screen displayed) in an adapted menu.

A possible embodiment of the present invention is the rehabilitation of the pelvic floor with the help of games designed for this purpose.

The use of games in rehabilitation, in which the results and data collected during the rehabilitation session are stored in a database, and can be reviewed by a therapeutic team, which is allowed to change the parameters of the games.

In this embodiment, Figure 4, the invention concerns an independent perineometer probe (1) for intravaginal use that communicates a wireless bio-feedback signal to a game application (3) of a patient running on a device with computing capability and display unit The display unit provides an audible signal and a visualization that allows the patient to monitor the efforts according to their criteria or according to a prescribed training protocol indicated by a preprogrammed routine (6) established from a remote rehabilitation management software (5).

This mode of biofeedback of the perineal movement is beneficial to both the user and a therapeutic team, since:

1) Improves adhesion

2) Synchronized bio-feedback allows the user to know the evolution of muscle control.

3) Non-synchronized bio-feedback allows the therapeutic team to change parameters of rehabilitation games.

Different types of games can be implemented. Some examples thereof, their parameters, and ways of using the pressure information to play are shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6:

BIRDI GAME

The objective of the game is to collect fruit thrown from a catapult, as shown in figure 5.

The user has to play with the times of contraction and relaxation, so that BIRDI walks when the user contracts and the fruit gets bigger and bigger in the catapult. BIRDI cannot stop walking until it picks up the fruit. Otherwise, points on this route are lost, and the score will be zero. The final score or result of the game will be the sum of points of each BIRDI route. The speed of BIRDI when walking is proportional to the target number of seconds of contraction.

Parameter:

Contraction time target: X seconds

Relaxation time objective: And seconds

Number of repetitions: Z times

BIRDI has to walk the screen Z times, and each route the user will have to maintain a contraction of X seconds, while a fruit in the catapult will become larger and larger, depending on the intensity value of the pressure received from the perineometer . The score will be the sum of the weight of the fruits of each route. The user has to maintain relaxation times of Y seconds between each tour.

HALTERA GAME

The objective of this game is to control the contraction and relaxation times, as shown in the figure

6.

The haltera has to lift weights for a set number of seconds as the target of contraction time, and after this time he will leave the weights on the ground during the seconds set as the goal of relaxation time. The closer to the target times, the better score the user will get.

Parameter:

Contraction time target: X seconds

Relaxation time objective: And seconds

Number of repetitions: Z times

The user has to perform a contraction that will be reflected on the screen with the heel lifting a weight.

The user has to keep Z times the weight with the greatest intensity possible for X seconds, and then relax the muscles for Y seconds, this relationship model will be reflected on the screen with the frame of the smiling faltera.

Thus, the present invention is not limited to gaming purposes, since the possibilities of this new type of input device include training purposes for a group of muscles that is responsible for urinary continence and sexual functions. The biofeedback provided with such games, helps users quantify the intensity level of this set of muscles, and different games are a fun possibility to introduce these healthy customs into our lives.

One of the objectives of the present invention is to control a game using exclusively the perineal pressure signal, providing moments of entertainment for users through educational games, video games, musical compositions, ...

An additional objective is to record the pressure signal from the perineum.

An additional objective is to use the perineal muscle to use a system and improve discretion and ergonomics.

A further objective of the present invention is the development of a language based on parameters of duration, amplitude and interval of pressure signal.

An additional objective is to train the pelvic muscles while the user plays, so that users can benefit from:

improved vaginal tone

sexual health maintenance

prevention of some forms of urinary incontinence

Advantages of the present invention It is a user interface and at the same time a therapeutic method that improves the pelvic floor muscles. Reading the pressure values as square waves, after an analysis of the amplitudes, the contraction times and the relaxation times, will also allow the games to interact with parameters previously

established, and to encode an alphabet.

Acronym

EOG Electrooculogram; electrooculogram

EEG Electroencephalogram; electroencephalogram 10 EMG Electromyography; electromyography

Claims (22)

1. Muscle contraction measurement system comprising: a pressure gauge to measure muscle contraction that provides pressure signals; a control unit arranged to receive said pressure signals from said pressure gauge and to generate from of said pressure signals a bio-feedback signal that includes pressure values, the control unit communicating said bio-feedback signal to a device with computing capacity; Y a frontoffice application that runs on said device with computing capability, wherein said frontoffice application uses said pressure values to remotely control said device With computing capacity.

2.

System according to claim 1, wherein said bio-feedback signal includes said values of pressure generated by said muscle contractions measured with said pressure gauge.

3.

System according to claim 1, wherein said manometer is a perineometer.

Four.

System according to claim 1, wherein said control unit further comprises a pressure sensor of electronic air configured to detect these pressure values.

5.

System according to claim 4, wherein said control unit further comprises a converter analog to digital configured to allow sampling of said pressure values.

6.

System according to claim 5, wherein said control unit further comprises a transceiver without cables configured to transmit said bio feedback signal.

7.

System according to claim 1, wherein said frontoffice application further comprises a controller of application, configured to treat said biofeedback signal from said control unit.

8.

System according to claim 7, wherein said bio-feedback signal is a square signal.

9.

System according to claim 8, wherein said frontoffice application is configured to extract parameters of said square signal and to translate them into actions.

10.

System according to claim 9, wherein said parameters are the amplitude, the duration and the interval of the pressure signal

eleven.

System according to claim 10, wherein said computing capacity device further comprises a display unit for displaying graphic information, associated with said actions, provided by said frontoffice application.

12.

System according to claim 11, wherein said device with computing capacity further comprises sound means to provide an audible signal based on said actions.

13.

Method of measuring muscle contraction comprising:

detecting a plurality of pressure values by means of a manometer, said pressure values caused by muscular contractions; generate a bio-feedback signal that includes said pressure values; and remotely control a device with computing capacity by communicating said bio-feedback signal to the same.

14.

Method according to claim 13, comprising performing said remote control using a frontoffice application running on said computer capable device.

fifteen.

Method according to claim 13, wherein said remote control of said device with computing capacity comprises controlling the behavior of a software program running on said device with computing capacity.

16.

Method according to claim 15, wherein said software program is a game.

17.

Method according to claim 15, wherein the execution of said software program comprises displaying graphical information associated with actions to a user.

18.

Method according to claim 17, wherein said action of displaying graphic information is used to provide, in a rehabilitation treatment that includes muscle contractions, a feedback so that

5 said user interprets the efforts of said user, determined from said pressure values, to allow the user to vary said muscle contractions. 19. Method according to claim 15, applied to rehabilitation treatment that includes muscle contractions. 20. Method according to claim 19, wherein said rehabilitation treatment refers to the prevention of urinary incontinence and said manometer is a perineometer.

twenty-one.

Method according to claim 19, further comprising adapting said software program based on the user's intensity level capability determined from said pressure values.

22

Use of a pressure gauge to measure muscle contraction as an input to remotely control a device with computing capacity.

23. Use according to claim 22, wherein said manometer is a perineometer.  Figure 1    Figure 2    Figure 3   Figure 6